According to Merriam-Webster’s Dictionary racism is a belief that race is a primary determinant of human traits and that racial differences produce an inherent superiority or inferiority of a particular racial group.
Racism is more than just slurs. Certain groups of people feel superior to other groups and treat them accordingly. I feel a prime example of a racist in today’s society would be Pastor Terry Jones. He threatened to burn the Koran if a controversial mosque was built near the 9/11 terror attacks. Mr. Jones is turning against a whole race for the actions of some Islamic people.

Racism interpreted by CJ G.

Racism, and people’s actions, is often in debate; however, it is very simple. Racism does not have to be just an action towards someone; it can be a simple profiling, usually in a negative light, of a whole group or race. When accusing a group at large, obviously, there are exceptions yet everyone in that group is accused, profiled, or “made fun of.” Racial slurs, whether it is a joke or not, is racism. An example of a racist today, is Don Imus. On national radio, Imus had said several racial slurs about a women’s basketball team.

The Question of Racism Interpreted by Brendan McCullagh

Racism is considered one of those topics that several politicians around the world just can’t seem to stay out of. While we hear that just another community figure had professed a racial slur, it brings us to question what racism really is. These “racial slurs” are just half of the problem, racism is also when you separate or treat somebody badly for the sole reason of their skin color or ethnicity. Reverend Al Sharpton is a perfect example of this public racism towards white or Caucasian people. In 2004 he was quoted saying, “White people are the ones who enslaved the black people and quite frankly, they should pay for that in any way we can come up with. They’re the problem, and they tell us to leave, they should leave and we should take over.” These types of racist comments from an outstanding figure in the community are unacceptable and exemplify the textbook definition of bigotry.

Racism interpreted by Robert Q

Racism can be defined in many ways. Today it is not just simply using forbidden racial slurs it is much more. It is just assuming things because of the way someone acts, dresses, or talks. For example, when Hurricane Katrina hit New Orleans there was an article that had a picture of a black woman walking through deep water carrying a bag full of food and holding a soda bottle. Under the picture it said, “black women who had just looted a local grocery store.” I believe that this quote is racism because the reporter had no evidence that she stole the food. A person today that showed racism is radio talk show host Don Imus. Don Imus called the Rutgers Women’s Basketball team, “nappy headed hos.” Due to his outrages commit he was only suspended from the talk show for two weeks.

What is Racism? By Thomas Lahey

Does racism still exist today? Yes. Is is a major issue and at the forefront of today's politics? No. There are many people who play the race card to score political points; people who call others racists because they are losing an argument; then there are those that are actually racists. There are very few racists that have a powerful voice today. There are those who use race-baiting to divide people over the race issue.

So what is racism? Racism is the hatred of one race from another. Racism can go any way. From any nationality to another. 

There is an organization that exists from the 60's until today. They are called the Black Panthers and they are a black nationalist organization that used to assist Malcom X in his violent surge to power. They still exist and are still a racist organization against the white people. They used intimidation tactics to prevent white people from voting for John McCain in the 2008 Presidential race because they believed that people would only vote against Obama because he's not white; which is absurd. There is a video of a Black Panther group in Philadelphia holding a baton and cursing at white people as they go to vote. People such as Van Jones, a self described Communist and black liberation activist who used to work in the Obama Administration said that "White Republicans want to put poisonous chemicals in the water of inner city black neighborhoods and advocate for segregation." This is not only racism, but an example of race bating. Needless to say, he resigned from the Obama Administration.

The New Black Panther Party advocate Marxism, anti-antisemitism, and black supremacy. Their leader, a Muslim, named Malik Zulu Shabazz said in 1994, ""Who is it that caught and killed Nat Turner? The Jews! Who is it that controls the Federal Reserve? The Jews! Who is it that has our entertainers... and our athletes in a vise grip? The Jews!" 

He also supports reparations against white people for slavery. 

In conclusion, the New Black Panther Party is one of the biggest internal threats we have to our national security 

and to the relative peace we have in terms of race relations. Racism in our country is no longer a major issue, but 

still exists in a very small minority in our country. Race relations in our have greatly improved and continue to, as 

long as political parties such as these no longer. 

Interpretation of racism by Joey G.

Racism is an abusive and harmful behavior towards members of other races. Being a racist isn't just using forbidden words without caring. True racism is meaning what you say about others, and following your words with actions. An example of a true racist would be Adolf Hitler. Not only did he attack them with his words, but he brutally killed more than 6 million innocent Jews. His anti-semitism was natrually racist due to the innocence of those who he was killing. Hitler's anti-semitism was most likely inspired by the writings of Lanz von Liebenfels and Karl Lueger, who were both racists. Another example of racism, which is more modern, is the Ku Klux Klan. They are white supremacists who are againts every other racial group. Many of these people are located in Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Louisiana, and other regions of southeast USA. The near seven million members are all anti immigration and anti communism. As you can see, racism isn't just saying a bad word; it's following that word with a strong action.

Racism Interpreted by Paul Hennessey

Racism is a hatred for a human being because of their skin color or their ethnics. Proclaiming racial slurs alone does not prove that one is racist. Categorizing a random person by their skin is racist. By assuming someone acts a certain way solely because of their skin color is racist.

Racism, in the United States, is very vast in the southern states. White people proclaim publicly their hatred for blacks. Confederate flags hang in front of capitol buildings and around people's buildings. This pointless hate that occurs is unnecessary, but all the racism will not end anytime soon. Crime and terrorism are stereotypical to certain races, contributing to peoples ignorant thoughts towards a group of people.

Racism as interpreted by Nigel N.

Racism isn't just the act of using racial slurs, however distasteful they may be, but rather racism is the outward hate or severe dislike for a specific race of people. Outward being the key word in that statement and the one that brings together the meaning of the word. Openly hateful acts of abuse, physical or otherwise, towards an individual because of where they are from is racism in its purest form. However, when someone just uses a racial slur casually in a joke they don't hate that particular race. People often misinterpret that as racism A racist has to have the intention of demeaning the race he or she dislikes. For example, Don Imus who was a popular radio show host was harshly criticized for racist remarks on a live radio broadcast. These remarks were indeed distasteful and racist, but that doesn't mean that he was a die-hard racist. He also apologized afterward, and while that doesn't excuse what he said, I really doubt he was a true racist.

Racism as explained by Lawrence C.

Racism is much more than simply using racial slurs or making small jokes about a specific race. Racism is the discrimination of a certain group of people because of their culture or skin color. For someone to be a racist they must have a hatred or prejudice towards a specific culture. Many people today use racial slurs as a form of humor and do not realize the history connected to the word. These people are not racist they are simply unaware or uncaring about the possible offences that can be taken. True racists take their acts a step farther and often commit violent and discriminatory acts towards the people they see as different. One example of this today is Neo-Nazism. Neo-Nazism is a post World War 2 social movement seeking to revive Nazism all over the world. This group has organized reputation in many countries and their members are known to attack, harass, or even kill members of different races and religion. These white supremacists believe that they are the dominant race and all others are not equivalent. These people are examples of racists and not the people who may make a few inappropriate comments.

Lawrence C

Racism as Interpreted by Harrison S.

Racism is defined as a belief that inherent differences among the various human races determine cultural or individual achievement usually involving the idea that one's race is superior and has the right to rule others. In my mind, racism is any comment, action, or thought that degrades another person based on their race. Racism was very prominent in our society in the days of slavery and also through the early to mid years of the 1900s. Racism still occurs in today's world, however, it is now considered socially unacceptable, whereas it was accepted by whites in the 1950s. Many public figures can be punished, lose their jobs and reputations for racial slurs that may have originally been intended as jokes. Take for example talk show host, Don Imus, who in 2007 described the Rutgers women's basketball team as a bunch of "rough... nappy headed h*s." Despite efforts to kill racism in today's society, people like Imus keep it alive through their racial slurs and other actions.

Racism Interpreted by Daniel M

Using one "racial slur" in an isolated time as a joke does not make a person a racist. In my opinion using the same slur multiple times and having legitimate hate when using it or actually doing an action that outwardly expresses your hate to a specific ethnicity does make you a racist. However our society likes to exaggerate things, point our finger at people, and label them as a racist after one comment. A modern example is Don Imus, who said a racist and sexist remark on the radio regarding the Rutgers women's basketball team. I would not label him as a racist after that one remark because it was just one isolated incidence and he should not carry the racist label around with him his entire life because of that one statement. However he is seen as a racist in society now. I don't believe he felt real and intense hatred toward blacks or women, but he has a big mouth and says these types of things as shock value. However He did use poor judgement in saying that comment, it doesn't make him racist but it does make him stupid and insensitive, and he was justifiably punished by his radio company for that.

Racism Explained by Ryan R.

Racism is thought to have died down ever since people fought for the rights of minorities back in the day. However, this may not be the case at all. Racial slurs or discrimination against a certain race display such animalistic behavior. These hateful acts often occur even in today's world. We notice in today's society that minorities are sometimes out-casted by the main race within in a region. We also notice some racial slurs, made by important radio, political, or media figures, in which offends certain races. A prime example of a person who has been involved with such altercations would be Don Imus. On a radio talk show he called out the Rutger's Women's basketball team by stating that they were all "nappy headed hoes". This has been one of the biggest racial slur altercations in a while, and in my opinion truly represents racial acts. Now whether, he meant it in a racist type way or not, is not of the importance. What's important is that he stated such an offensive statement in which could 100% be taking as a racial slur. These types of acts occur often and sometimes even daily in today's society. This could be considered Racism at its "finest".

"Racism" Explained by Tomasz C.

I don't think racism is simply using forbidden racial slurs by surrounding society. A person can be racist when that particular person thinks that someone else with different human traits and capacities should be denied a benefit or a right. Racism can also mean the idea of thinking that a particular group of people shouldn't belong next to another group of people. Racial discrimination also is a term that refers to separation of people with differences, which can involve politics or religion. An example of people who exhibit racism is the Ku Klux Klan, which began in the 1860s. There were 3 past and present organizations in the Klan. They have advocated currents such as white supremacy, white nationalism, anti-immigration, and anti-communism. Currently, they are considered a hate group towards mostly black people. Basically, the KKK killed people of color because they thought that the white man was ultimately better than them, and that the others shouldn't belong in society because of their skin color, ethnicity, and religion. I believe this is an example of racism.

Racism interpreted by Luka S.

The definition of racism is racial prejudice or discrimination. To me, racism is any action that offends someone of a certain racial group, religion, or nationality. Not only are actions racist, but words spoken can be racist too. Although racism isn't as prevalent today as it once was, people still feel offended by the subtle racist words and actions that occur in today's society. In many European countries, racism is very much alive at certain sporting events such as soccer games. In 2006, ESPN had a special broadcast that showed how soccer games in European countries such as Spain, Germany, Italy, and England are being bombarded with racism towards black and African soccer players. Soccer hooligans would chant racist chants and taunt the black soccer players, and in most cases got away with it. As Americans, we do not see how this could be possible today, but that is because we live in a multi cultural society and we learn to tolerate and treat different races as we would like to be treated. In Europe however, many countries aren't very multi cultural and Europeans see this behavior as acceptable. FIFA launched a campaign afterwards against racism. Fans who were being openly racist at games would be kicked out of the stadium, and if the fans got out of hand, the team may actually be penalized.

Racism Interpreted by Tommy M.

Racism defined by dictionary.com is hatred or intolerance of another race or other races. Racism isn't just the thought of hating another race it is also the verbal and physical abuse towards another race. Racial slurs, however horrible, aren't always taken seriously. Some people make a racist comment but could only be joking. Some people are serious when they make a racial comment. Actions are also a way of showing racism without joking about it, such as physically abusing one race over the other. The Ku Klux Klan is a famous example of racism. Back in the late 1860's the KKK was formed and it was a group of people that went around terrorizing blacks and hanging them for no reason other than their race.

Racism by Robert M.

Racism is defined by the hate or discrimination against another race. I think that people throw around racial slurs all the time, but i do not think that this necessarily makes people racists. Mostly people throw around these slurs as jokes and i don't agree with using slurs even as jokes. If people use racial slurs with the intention of hate then I believe that it makes them racist. One very well known person known for using racial slurs is Mel Gibson. He uses various words such as the N-word and also expresses hate towards the Jewish community. Gibson did not directly hate on African American people but uses the word hatefully and it is debatable whether or not he is actually a racist. He was also drunk.

Racism is interpreted by Hyung-Su H.

Racism in my opinion is defined by the person whom is receiving racism. Racism can be expressed in many forms such as verbal forms and also physical forms. If the person receiving racism feels discriminated and unfair than that would be racism but if not I could be seen as a difference in culture. One example would be about my English teacher when I was in Korea. He was a teacher whom came from Canada. English being our second language is hard to learn to most of the students in Korea. This Canadian English teacher would make fun (racism) of the English we speak during class by saying we should give up and pick another language to study or learn because our pronunciation was so bad. We were offended because to the other class next to us he would say that they were doing great for no particular reason when they were sound the same as our class. However when he says he does not like Korean food and can not eat any of the food offered by the school would just be seen as a difference in culture not being randomly opposing our culture.

Racism interpreted by Jared Dublin

Racism is still present in the United States today. An example of this is in Arizona, where police officers have the power to pull someone over on the road and demand the proof of legal citizenship. Jane Brewer who is the governor of Arizona passed this bill and called the AZ Law. I believe that this is pure racial profiling because the police officers are pulling random citizens or illegal immigrants over just because of what they look like. This law basically makes racial profiling legal again. Even though they may be trying to weed out the illegal immigrants of Arizona and other bordering states of Mexico I still believe that they have no right to do such a thing. About 30% of Arizona's legal population is made up of people from Latino heritage, so that means the police officers are harassing legal citizens of the USA.

Racism Interpreted By Stephen M.

Racism is defined as a prejudice or hatred towards a certain ethnic or religious group. This definition is not only inclusive towards spewing hateful slurs, but it is also a predetermined mindset that is ingrained because of a person's ethnicity. Many groups have expressed racism throughout the centuries, using violence and other tactics to demean other groups. This mindset of hatred towards a specific group is based on the idea that your race is superior to all. An unknown example of racism is today is our school system. Budgeting for our schools comes from local property taxes. Since white suburban areas have higher property taxes, they therefore have advanced facilities and resources, giving them a fair opportunity at success. In urban areas, these property taxes are relatively low, therefore resulting in a lower class schooling system for millions of African Americans and Latinos.

Racism as interpreted by Sean O.

Racism as interpreted by Sean O.

When referring to the use of racism, many people view it in different aspects. For example, after the Reconstruction period had started to come to an end, a group of people called the Ku Klux Klan went out and started killing African Americans and terrorizing them. People definitely deemed those actions racist, and they have not be committed since. But there are still some small traces of racism that occur in the present day. For example, a man named Paladino, who is running for the governor of New York, presented images that were scrutinizing to President Obama by making him look like people that would not be fit for a Presidency. Now people have started to accuse Paladino of also being racist, saying that the images he out up mock the ethnicity of President Obama. They accuse Paladino of racism. But how far are we willing to scale down the evidence that one needs to accuse someone of racism. People have built up in their minds that the images express an African American person that is not fit for the Presidency. Now the problem with this is that now all different ethnicities dress similar to what Obama i wearing in this picture. So the question to refer to when looking at this picture and determining whether it is racist or not is, "Would Paladino make a picture like this of President Bush and his wife?"

Racism: interpreted by Daniel G

Racism is when a person, or a group of people are being attacked by another group because that group believes it is superior or better for some reason. People are always under this threat for just being a certain race or gender. An example in today's modern time when Hispanics try to come to this country. People, especially in the southwest, judge many Hispanics as terrible people, drug dealers, and jobs stealer. However, in real life, those that are saying these things, are to arrogant to realize that they don't come here for that reason. I am not saying that all Hispanics that come into the country are good, there are good and bad people alike in any race. One thing that has shown racism in the southwest, is part of the Arizona State law where they state that those that are born in the country that came form another country, mainly referring to Mexico and Hispanics, are not considered true citizens even though they are born here, and will be forced to leave. Although my description of state law is limited, it does go against the Constitution and the 14th amendment, an amendment which in the 1800's was created to protect the rights of all citizens of the country. It shows that even Racism can become law in the country.

Racism Interpreted by Matt C.

Racism is a phenomenon that still occurs today. However, I would define racism as a prejudice against someone of a particular color or race. True racism is a rare thing. Today, their are still people who hate people of a certain race for no reason, however, a majority of deeds and comments that are determined as "racist" are truly not. For example I would say that their is a double standard. for example, white people cannot use the n word, yet the African Americans use it constantly, and get mad when we use it. Also, if a white man says something that could remotely deemed as "racist", they are scrutinized and attacked. Yet if an African American uses "racist" language about whites, none say anything, and everything goes along la-di-da.

An example would be Rand Paul, Ron Paul's son, who made a true yet somehow "racist" remark about the intricacies and regulations of the Civil Rights Act pertaining to economy, employment, and the private rights of the shop owner. Now these remarks, that were not racist in the least, because no hateful words were used and he was only citing the nuances of the Civil Rights Act pertaining to private rights. Paul has never made any other racist remarks that show hateful language against minorities. The double standard said that he was racist, but when the head of the New Black Panther Party intimidates voters and stands in the streets and shouts that some whites will have to die for black rights, everyone stays quiet and looks the other way.

Now I don't do this to deny that REAL racism, that is truly bad, harmful, and hateful actsexits, but that today, the word racist and the race card is thrown around and played much to often, so that the true definition of racism and racist acts are obscured and forgotten.

Racism commented on by Mike T.

Racism is something that bothers me very much. Some people consider being racist simply to use forbidden racial slurs but I certainly don't. I believe that people can be racist even without speaking. Often people are excluded because of their race or color without being called a name. Although no names or direct accusations are made racism can still exist. Someone who practices racism without saying racist words is one of my uncles. He did not vote for Barack Obama in the past presidential election. I know that he has racist tendencies because of what I had heard him say in the past and the way he has acted. When I asked him why he voted against him, he could not supply a firm answer. He knew hardly of what both presidents stood for and was a part of the independent party.

What is Racism? - Opinionated Writing by Ryan v.

Racism in America has always been a touchy issue, even to this day. From immigration to slavery, a plethora of factors and circumstances have made this nation a melting pot, but a hot-spot for ethnic friction and tension as well. Today, racism has declined in intensity, but the notion that racism has begun it's decline in America doesn't curtail that racism doesn't exist. One instance was seen in the actions of former conservative talk radio host Laura Schlessinger, who on August of 2010 was relieved of her job after dropping the "n-bomb" 11 times in response to the question of a black woman's question of, ironically, how to deal with racism for being married to a white man.

However, racism today is a two-edged sword, and by definition, racism is favoritism for one race as being superior to another. An instance of this could be seen in the American policies of "affirmative action", or policies that disregard race, creed, color or origin in evaluation of individuals for employment. Begun by President Kennedy in his Executive Order No. 10925, affirmative action, though ideal in theory, has led to controversy for, ironically, favoritism based on racial origin and ethnicity. In certain nations such as France and the UK, among other European nations, affirmative action is frowned upon and considered illegal for it's bias towards individuals based on origins rather than working capabilities.

In short, racism is on the decline, but remains an unfortunate presence within society. It is not known how long it will take for such biases and ethnic borders to be torn down, if they do, but the intensity of racism has decreased significantly. Nevertheless, it may take lifetimes beyond our own for this issue, which had been prominent until half a century ago in the 1960s, for America to overcome long-standing prejudices and sins from past societies. One can only hope that this day may come sooner than later, but for now, racism is an issue that is far from solved.

What is Racism?

Modern day racism is shrouded in subtlety and niceties. Being openly racist in public directly towards a person or group will get a single person stabbed or shot; although the most famous of comedians and films can make jokes with little or no backlash. In the United States, one has more freedom to be racist than one would in a foreign country, due to the minority that most of the affected groups represent.

"The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde" Interpreted by Harrison S.

The theme of pursuing life at all costs is clearly evident in the story The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde by Robert Louis Stevenson. Dr. Jekyll’s quest to prove his theory of man’s dual nature drove him to use himself as a test subject. He worked endlessly to create a potion that would prove his theory that every man had two sides to him. In Jekyll’s eyes every man had a good side and an evil side. By using himself as a test subject, the potion brought out Dr. Jekyll’s evil side, Mr. Hyde. As the story progresses Dr. Jekyll loses control of Mr. Hyde and eventually Mr. Hyde takes over completely. Dr. Jekyll losing his life to Mr. Hyde is the prime example to the theme pursuing life at all costs. From page 60 the following quote explains Dr. Lanyon describing Mr. Hyde transforming back into Dr. Jekyll:

“He put the glass to his lips and drank at one gulp. A cry followed; he reeled, staggered, clutched at the table and held on, staring with injected eyes, gasping with open mouth… I thought a change- he seemed to swell- his face became suddenly black and the features seemed to melt and alter… like a man restored from death- there stood Henry Jekyll!”

The theme of pursuing life at all costs is also seen in a couple examples in the real world today. Athletes who take short cuts to superstardom through the use of performance enhancing drugs will go for records and fame and any cost required. By using these steroids, they risk physical damage to their bodies in addition to the permanent scarring on their reputations, the exclusion from hall of fames, record books and possibly a permanent ban from the game. Athletes such as Barry Bonds have gone risked everything for where they are now. Bonds doped for much of his career and despite holding the record for hitting the most home runs, many do not consider his record to be legitimate. He pursued life at all costs, and in this case, baseball supremacy by doping instead of relying on his natural talent.

Frankenstein Interpreted By Brendan M.

This obsession to pursue life at all costs was clearly portrayed in Frankenstein through the doctor’s creation of the monster. He risked his life as he knew it to create this monster, which eventually leads to show adverse side effects. Victor (Dr. Frankenstein) had gone into the solitude of his laboratory for extended periods of time, which also affected his relationship with Elizabeth. Victor says, “I will not lead you on, unguarded and ardent as I then was, to your destruction and infallible misery.” This quote shows that he will stop at nothing to create this new form of life, and protect it from destruction.

A person or a group of people that have an obsession about pursuing and maintaining life at all costs are anti-abortionists. This specific group of people protects unborn babies from being killed in the womb before birth, and this has turned into an obsession for many of them. They will protest at abortion counseling or clinics because of usually their religious beliefs. Some of them have gone to extreme’s to protect the life of the unborn, which creates the drive for them to maintain, pursue, and protect life at all costs.

"The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde" interpreted by CJ G.

Within The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, an infatuation with switching between Jekyll two lives is pursued at any cost. When Jekyll cannot return home because he is stuck as Hyde, he sends out a letter to Poole and his dear friend Lanyon to retrieve “with all its contents as they stand the fourth drawer from the top.” The content within the drawer was the salts and minerals needed to turn him back into Jekyll.

A similar person who pursued life at all cost was actually a graduate from Bergen, John Crowley. However, Crowley is immensely different from Jekyll because he pursued to keep his children alive.

Mike M.

Michael Maye

Life Pursuit at all costs in Gothic Novels

In the novel, “Frankenstein,” by Mary Shelley the theme of pursuit of life at all costs is relevant throughout the novel. By having Victor Frankenstein and the monster endure equally extreme conditions Shelley is able to clearly portray this theme in her novel. For example, in the novel Victor Frankenstein devotes over 2 years of his life digging through graves and spending radical amounts of time trying to create life in his monster. Victor Frankenstein even becomes gravely ill from the extreme conditions he endured while creating the monster. Numerous times throughout the novel Victor Frankenstein falls extremely ill due to his treacherous endeavors such as falling ill in the Irish prison, becoming ill after his brother was killed, and immediately falling ill as his friend Henry Clerval comes to visit him at Ingolstadt. A quote from the novel that really envelops this theme of pursuing life at all costs is this by Victor Frankenstein, "I had worked hard for nearly two years, for the sole purpose of infusing life into an inanimate body. For this I deprived myself of rest and health” (Shelley 43). By reading this quote from Victor the reader is able to analyze that victor gave up his rest and health from two years just to pursue the creation of life.

Moving forward, someone in today’s society that has this obsession of pursuing life could be Jack Lalane. Jack Lalane is an extremely old man that is in great shape. At age 60 he pulled 60 rowboats by himself for a long distance. This behavior of staying in almost superhuman strength for such a number of years could be considered an obsession of pursuing life.

Frankenstein "At All Cost" Blog Stephen Magretti

Frankenstein is a prime example of the pursuit of life at all costs. Dr. Frankenstein, searching for the meaning of life himself, creates a monster. He achieves this by going against all moral code of the time. If someone had discovered the secret of this monster, he would be ashamed and banned from society. Also, the monster he created turned into a cold-blooded killer. Dr. Frankenstein, realizing his grave mistake, did not create a female companion for the original monster and the angry beats on a killing spree.Dr. Frankenstein ignored all these costs in order to achieve the creation of life itself.

An example of this "at all cost" attitude is seen in professional baseball. Mark McGuire, a famous first baseman for the St. Louis Cardinals, admitted to having used steroids during his professional career. his illustrious career made him one of the most feared hitters to ever step to the plate. With the revealing of this secret, his name has forever been scarred and his whole career cast into a lifelong shadow.

Frankenstein interpreted by Robert Q

The book, Frankenstein by Mary Shelley, shows many characters pursue the theme, pursue life at all costs. Victor Frankenstein is a great example of this. He wanted to create a creature by combining human parts. During this time period, it was frowned upon to try to create such a thing but it never stopped Victor. By creating the monster, it ruined the closest things in Victor’s life. It disrupted the marriage of Victor and Elizabeth and killed his whole family. “… I am the cause of this – I murdered Justine, William, and Henry…” (Shelley 189). By pursing at all costs to create the monster, he ends up killing himself and his whole family.

Someone today with a similar obsession is the homerun king in baseball, Barry Bonds. Although Barry Bonds has the most homeruns, many people still believe that Hank Aron is still the king or should be the king. This is because Barry Bonds pursued at all cost to gain that title but did it illegally by using steroids.

Dracula By Thomas Lahey

The novel Dracula is a timeless classic that involves many issues from all perspectives. One of these is issues is life at all costs. This is particularly evident in the main character, Dracula. Dracula was a vampire who lived deep inside Transylvania and would lure outsiders to his castle to kill them and have their blood to survive. Johnathan Harker was one of these men. I suppose it could be said that Dracula pursues the life at all costs theme because he is willing, I suppose because he's a vampire, to kill as many people as it takes just to have their blood to survive. That is the most prominent example of life at all costs in Dracula.

Someone today who has a similar view on life is Brett Favre. He is 40 years old and is losing his talent if I'm honest. However, despite constant threats to retire and move on from football, he keeps coming back. It may be determination, but at his age and his past injuries, I consider it to be life at all costs for Brett Favre.

Frankenstein as Interpreted for Thomas Fahey

In the novel Frankenstein, by Mary Shelley, Victor Frankenstein goes out of his way to create life from inanhimate body parts. In other words, he is "Pursuing Life at All Costs." He is depicted as a crazed scientist who is trying to become God. "Life and death appeared to me ideal bounds, which I should first break through, and pour a torrent of light into our dark world. A new species would bless me as its creator and source; many happy and excellent natures would owe their being to me." (Shelley 48) By doing so, he isolates himself from the entire world. This has a dramatic impact on his family. They fear for Victor's life. Victor himself suffers tremendously from lack of sleep and social contact. When he does succeed at his goal to creat life, Victor can not face the monster that he has created. His physical and mental state of being suffers profusely. Victor's overall desire to create life in the end causes the death of his family members as well as himself. The creation of one life resulted in several unncessary deaths.
Currently in today's world, I feel that Michael J. Fox is a prime example of someone who is "Pursuing Life at All Costs." Mr. Fox has had several operations to try to stop the progression of his multiple sclerosis. He is fighting for the approval of stem cell reseach. His overall cause is to prolong his life and others who suffer from MS. His pursuit is for the benefit of mankind.

Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde Interpretation by Sean O'Neill

The theme of the novel “life at all costs” is exemplified when Dr. Jekyll creates the potion that transforms in into Mr. Hyde. Dr. Jekyll’s pursuit in the story is to find the dual nature in a man, a good side and an evil side. Dr. Jekyll was so determined to accomplish this pursuit he even experimented on himself by drinking the potion that would express the dual nature in him. This determination would exemplify the “life at all costs” theme. Jekyll was so driven that he made the misassumption that he could control Hyde and Jekyll on his own. But this would lead to his demise because he loses control of his transformation between Jekyll and Hyde. At the end of the story, when Utterson and Poole storm into Jekyll’s lab, they describe the scene as, “Right in the midst there lay the body of a man sorely contorted and still twitching. They drew near on tiptoe, turned it on its back and beheld the face of Edward Hyde." (Stevenson 54). So not only did he lose control of Jekyll and Hyde, but in the end was permanently cast as Mr. Hyde. The risk that Jekyll took resulted in his terrible demise.

In today’s society, terrorists follow the mentality the “life at all cost”. Terrorists believe that that the world mocks them and does not help them like they help each other. They also believe that we do not live the correct way, and because of that they feel they have to prove themselves by destroying landmarks of other countries and even blowing themselves up so that other people can be hurt. If you are willing to commit suicide so that you can prove a point you obviously using a “life at all costs” mentality. This mentality has lead to the many needed deaths of both terrorists and the people they affect with their actions. That is why this mentality id definitely not one to follow.

"Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde" interpreted Hyung-Su Han

In the book "Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde" Dr. Jekyll has an obsession and pursues life at all cost. He has the obsession towards finishing his work and to review his discoveries. He tries to put all of his belongings at risk( wealth, status, reputation). He also has a strong desire to separate and see his two different sides evil and good. This is expressed in the book through this phrase "I knew well that I risked death; for any drug that so potently controlled and shook the very fortress of identity, might, by the least scruple of an overdose or at the least in opportunity in the moment of exhibition, utterly blot out that immaterial tabernacle which I looked to it to change. But the temptation of a discovery so singular and profound at last overcame the suggestions of alarm." His obsession as a scientist to test out his findings is what he risked his life for.

In real life many other scientist go through risks of their lives. The scientist George P. (조지 포다이스) experimented about the exercise of the skin through a rough condition of heat and he sacrificed his reputation and also his respect by using humans for experimental subjects putting them in a cage and slowly increasing the heat temperature. There obsessions as a scientist both came out as a tragedy resulting in death.

Sang Lee The Frankenstein

The Frankenstein as interpreted by Sang Lee.

In the novel, Frankenstein by Mary Shelly, the young doctor, Victor Frankenstein, is so obsessed with his experiment that he cuts all his contacts with his family and friends for more than two years to create a life. "Two years passed in this manner, during which I paid no visit to Geneva, but was engaged, heart and soul, in the pursuit of some discoveries which I hoped to make" (Shelley 51). Even though, Victor reached his goal of making a creature out of a dead body and a brain, unfortunately Victor's careless decision was not worth it, since it caused a tragic disaster, killing more than 5 people: James Moritz, William Frankenstein, Elizabeth, and Henry, eventually himself, the creator "at a sacrifice of my family and friends" (Shelly 89). The consequence of Victor’s pursuing life at all costs was losing many of his beloved people and himself at the end. By the time Victor finally recognized that his obsession with creating a monster was wrong, it was too late, Victor could not do anything to undo his mistake.

Many Spanish and Chinese cross-borders and terrorists could be seen today as examples of the ones who are "pursuing life at all costs." Many people from Spain and China risk their lives to cross the borderlines to other countries, even though they are aware of the fact that they could get shot or imprisoned. Terrorists,most times as suicide bombs, are also perusing their lives at all costs to attack their enemy successfully. Just like Victor Frankenstein pursued his life at all costs in Mary Shelly's Frankenstein, the cross-borders and terrorists too sacrifice to reach their goals. These people will ignore the risks they face to reach their dreams. Even though, some of them may achieve their goals, on the other hand, like Victor's case, their lives could be completely ruined.

Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde interpreted by Jared Dubln

After reading Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, Dr. Jekyll did try to pursue life at all costs or he at least attempted to control the different personalities that were inside of him. He experiment on himself in order to control the evil possessive Dr. Jekyll that would come out when he didn't drink the concoction he made in his laboratory. But in the end while he was trying to pursue the good side of him also known as Dr. Jekyll he ended up hurting other people around him in the movie and the novel. He was willing to do anything, sacrifice his health with the dangerous experimentation and put everyone around him in danger just to live his life to what he thought was the fullest.

The next day, came the news that the murder had been overlooked, that the guilt of Hyde was patent to the world, and that the victim was a man high in public estimation. It was not only a crime, it had been a tragic folly. I think I was glad to know it; I think I was glad to have my better impulses thus buttressed and guarded by the terrors of the scaffold. Jekyll was now my city of refuge; let but Hyde peep out an instant, and the hands of all men would be raised to take and slay him Through this quote you can see how now Jekyll has to hide Hyde from everyone, which makes him further his research and experimentation in order to live.

One person that continued to try and pursue life at all costs is Barry Bonds. He would continue to do whatever it took to hit home runs in the MLB whether it put his health, career or life at whole at risk. But he didn't care about any of that, all that mattered was that he was one of the leading and most remarkable athletes in the MLB.

Pursuing life at all costs By Harrison Kirby

The theme of pursuing life at all costs in the novel Frankenstein switches perspectives throughout the story. In the beginning, Victor is desperate to create life when we first meet him, when he does create it he regrets it because it begins to ruin his own life. The monster spends his existence searching for his own identity, trying to live a life as a human, but he is not acceptable by society's standards because of his appearance. An example of someone who pursues life at all costs are people who fund raise for life saving activities such as cancer research, AIDS, stem cell research. Pro-life advocates are also a great example, they not pursue their own lives but join in the pursuit for others to live.

Frankenstein Interpretation R.Murphy

In Frankenstein, Doctor Frankenstein becomes obsessed with creating life. He goes to extreme measures to create this creature, but was it worth it? Essentially Doctor Frankenstein's creation had backfired and ended up becoming a killing machine. Doctor Frankenstein achieved his goal, but it certainly was not worth.

In today's society people also become obsessed. For example sports players who take steroid become so obsessed with their sport that they go to extreme of taking steroids. One person who has been put under scrutiny is barry bonds. He became so obsessed with improving his performance that he started taking steroids to achieve this.

Daniel G.

In Frankenstein, the young doctor is constantly pursing life at all cost. Victor has an obsession of creating life form a lifeless being, which goes against the laws of nature and science. He is ignoring the continuous dangers of creating life and is never taking heed to the possible consequences of his actions throughout the story. While he does not know it at first, he learns form his mistakes and tires to prevent others from following his terrible mistake. Walton, the captain of the ship that is stuck in the arctic with the rest of the crew tries to seek also seeks life at all cost. He tries to discover a route to the North Pole. When they find Victor, he learns to form him they terrible things he endured all for seeking life and recognition. Victor even tells Walton to "learn for me, if not by my precepts, at least by my example" (Shelley 54). He warns Walton to be aware of the the purist of recognition and to stop before he himself ends up like Victor. It shows that the pursuit of life, of fame came backfire and send the seeker of these qualities can ruin his or her life, and put them in a total ruin.

This theme can be seen in many areas of today's society. It is seen that Athletes will constantly push themselves and use different tactics to do better. They use performance enhancers to step up their game in order to be the best. It is seen in scientist when they seek to discover new ideas of technology that go against the laws of nature. They try to use cloning even though some consider unnatural and can have devastating effects. These and others examples show that people will ignore the dangers they are facing to gain the recognition and the life they want. They may achieve what they want, but like Victor's creation, the results may not always turn out as people would like them to be

Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde interpreted by Nigel N.

In Robert Louis Stevenson's Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde both sides of Jekyll want to achieve life, and their goals, at all costs. Dr. Jekyll takes an immense risk by testing the experimental elixir on himself and unleashing his darker side. At that point it becomes a tragic internal struggle between the noble Jekyll attempting to reclaim his life and the monstrous Hyde who is slowly taking over as the dominant personality. Both sides try desperately to live as an individual through their own means. Henry Jekyll tries to contain Hyde as he begins to become uncontrollable by never leaving his home, cutting off communication with his friends, and becoming an overall recluse. Even when Enfield and Utterson try to invite him for a walk Jekyll refuses and then has to abruptly leave.

the smile was struck out of his face and succeeded by an expression of such abject terror and despair, as froze the very blood of the two gentlemen below. They saw it but for a glimpse for the window was instantly thrust down; but the glimpse had been sufficient, and they turned and left the court without a word.

By examining the quote, it is evident that Dr. Jekyll no longer wishes to communicate with anyone or anything in a desperate effort to contain Hyde and prevent his exposure to the public.

Another person who would do anything at all to achieve greatly in an aspect of their life was Marion Jones. She was a champion in track and field, and won 5 medals out the 2000 Summer Olympics. However, in '07 all her records and awards were taken from her when she became part of the BALCO scandal. BALCO was an organization that supplied steroids to famous athletes that wanted an edge. Jones even went as far as lying to a grand jury to defend her secret, but eventually she was found out. Marion is a prime example of someone who wanted to the best no matter what the cost.

Frankenstein Interpreted by Ryan R.

In Frankenstein by Mary Shelley, we can observe how the monster's obsession with having a lover, or companion, arises as the monster notices the love shared between Victor and Elizabeth. He creates this new obsession within his head that he must be created a companion , and he will do anything to get it. He asks Victor to make his companion, but he is rejected. So he decides to pursue his dream at all cost, and he finds it acceptable to begin killing those who are close to Victor's life. However, Victor knew he was taking a large risk in creating life. "at a sacrifice of my family and friends" (Shelly 89) Yet, he was not aware of the extreme measures that he would go through. In the monster's opinion, this is fulfilling his pursuit to his dream at all costs.

In today's society, man people will do anything to achieve their goals. They will stop at nothing in order to fulfill their dreams. An example of a person who has done this would be Barry Bonds, or any other steroid user for that matter. No matter the physical or public harm or ridicule they would go through, in their mind, nothing can stop them.

Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde Interpreted By Daniel M

In The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, the reader can easily tell that the protagonist, Dr. Jekyll pursues life at all costs- life of evil and life of good. Dr. Jekyll puts his life, image, and fortune at risk in order to pursue the duality of human nature. Jekyll's experimental curiosity to separate the good and evil portions of soul eventually snowballed into a sick and uncontrollable obsession to let his purely evil side free to cause mischief . "I think that instead, I enjoyed it more completely; but i was still cursed with my duality of purpose; ans as the first edge of my penitence wore off, the lower side of me, so long indulged, so recently chained down, began to growl for licence" (Stevenson 80).

Was this obsession to pursue the duality of life worth it? Well, the answer depends on how the reader interprets the novel, and the rewards and repercussions of Jekyll's experiments. I believe that it was worth it; Jekyll was the only man to comprehend and physically test the boundaries of the human soul. His discovery accomplished his search for life; he separated himself into the purely evil life of Hyde, which soon dominated his being. However Jekyll failed to accomplish the separation of himself into purely good, as at times the human and supposedly "good" Jekyll dealt with impulses of evil.

A modern example of people who risks their life, image, and fortune to pursue a new "life" at all costs are steroid abusers. If caught, steroid abusers will lose their life, fortune, and image just like Jekyll did. These people's curiosity and experiment with drugs to test the boundaries of their talents is similar to Jekyll's curiosity and experiment to test the boundaries of the soul.

Frankenstein Interpreted by Mike T.

The monster created by Dr.Frankenstein pursued life at all costs."I seemed to have lost all soul or sensation but for this one pursuit" (Shelley 73). He wanted to live and love. The monster was shunned by society for his appearance. He did not have any family either. The monster went from place to place trying to find love but he was always turned down because of the way he looked. The only person to talk to him without freaking out immediately was a blind man. This monster killed many in hope that his maker, Dr. Frankenstein, would make him a companion. He took the lives of others to pursue his own. You can tell he pursued life at all costs because he died at the end of the story trying to pursue life.

Someone today with a similar obsession is Barry Bonds. He pursued the home run record set by Hank Aaron at all costs. He took steroids which is an illegal substance and has been banned by not only the MLB but it is not legal for any person in the United States to take. He risked getting caught cheating(which he did) and one day having extreme liver problems to try and become the player to hit the most home runs ever in baseball history.

Dracula - Interpreted by Ryan v.

A staple of most, if not all, Gothic literary works is the common theme of obsession of life, to the point where a character resorts to great extremes in order to acquire a highly desired goal. Perhaps one of the most prominent instances of this common Gothic element is Bram Stoker’s classic horror novel Dracula. Throughout the tale, the titular antagonist struggles through a plethora of hurdles to fulfill his never-ending thirst for blood, by any cost whatsoever, As put by one of the books primary protagonists, Dr. Van Helsing:

“’... the nosferatu do not die like the bee when he sting once. He is only stronger; and being stronger, have yet more power to work evil… he is of cunning more than mortal, for his cunning be the growth of ages; he have still the aid of necromancy… without heart or conscience, preying on the bodies and the souls of those we love best”’ (Stoker 253-254)

This simple fact sets the stage for the entire novel and its struggle, from his introduction in the tale in Transylvania, to his acts of terror in England, to the resolution of the novel with Dracula’s demise – all a result of his obsessive and unquenchable lust for sustenance for life. To remain alive, the monster has to feed on blood, and in doing so, is obsessed with maintaining a food supply so he may live for centuries more. Now, while Count Dracula went to great lengths to maintain his century-old quest for immortality, the end result was futile – however, the risk of chancing success in England was well worth the effort. Had the vampire succeeded in his campaign for immortality, he would have prospered in the densely-populated metropolis of London. Though the end was less than satisfactory for Dracula, his attempt to relocate to England was not a worth-while venture

Like Dracula, there are individuals today that express a similar lust for life – a hunger for life that brings out the darker side of human beings. A prime example of such devotion for life was the actor Christopher Reeve, who became paralyzed following a horse riding accident. From 1995 on to his death in late 2004, Reeve was an activist for the disabled and paralyzed. Perhaps one of the most controversial acts Reeve took to get closer towards recovering was lobbying for increased funding towards embryonic stem cell research. He would continue fighting for stem cell research until the very end of his life. While not nearly as malevolent or extreme as the urge to acquire life found in Dracula, the late actor’s life after paralysis sheds some light on the obsession for life seen throughout the Gothic genre.

DRACULA as Interpreted by Matt C.

In Bram Stoker's Dracula, the character of Count Dracula, is obsessive with life.On pg 215 of Dracula, he states "The girls that you love are mine already...you and others shall be mine, my creatures to do my bidding....when I ant to feed..."(Stoker 215). Dracula needs blood to live, and without it he will die. Dracula has been at this for centuries, and in the novel, he lives off the live force and blood of Lucy Westenra and later on, Mina Harker. He continually preys on these women. He may even love these women, however in the novel, it is not clear as to whether he is using them to live or he actually loves them. Unlike his relationship with Lucy, Dracula forms as strong bond with Mina, even linking their minds by making her drink his blood from a gash in his chest. Through the book, Dracula constantly preys on children (as does Lucy, once she becomes an Un-dead). In his castle, he dons the clothing of Jonathan Harker and kidnaps children to feast on their blood. As a character, he has no problem with attacking them and feasting on their blood so he can live.

I think someone who uses steroids or enhancers are modern day people who fight for life at all costs. They are obsessed with just becoming better and being more competitive that they take competition to the next level. they are just so focused on winning that they forget about rules and other people

Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde Interpretation by Tommy M.

In the Gothic novel The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde we see that Dr. Jekyll faces life at all costs. Dr. Jekyll wants to find a way where he can make he alter personality a different person. So he forgets the world around him and drinks a potion that brings out his alter personality and thinks he can control it, but he can't. "He put the glass to his lips and drank at one gulp." (Stevenson 65)

John Crowley was a man that wanted to find a cure for pompe disease and didn't care what it took to do it. He gave up his job to work with a man to find the cure and gave a ton of money to do so.

Frankenstein interpreted by Joey G.

In Frankenstein, Victor is obsessed with creating life. He grows this obsession after his mothers tragic death. Victor gathers dead people's body parts as 'raw materials,' which he uses to create a live human being. Victor left behind his entire life to create this monster. In my opinion, this decision was not worth it because the monster caused chaos everywhere. It didn't do many positive things for Victor in the long run, so it wasn't worth the time and effort.

In my opinion, Victor's obsession with life is similar to that of Lance Armstrong. His drive to compete is comparable to Victor's drive to create life. Despite all of his problems, Lance does whatever it takes to get the job done. Victor also goes to great lengths to accomplish his goals.

Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde interpreted by Lawrence C

In the novel Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, the theme life at all costs plays a large role in Dr. Jekyll's life. Dr. Jekyll is trying to create a potion that will separate the good and bad personalities in a person. He devotes a large portion of time into creating this potion and spends countless hours testing his potion on animals. Eventually he decides to test his potion on him self to finalize his research. Sadly this potion has terrible consequences and begins to take over Dr. Jekyll's life. "I hesitated long before I put this theory to the test of practice. I knew well that I risked death; for any drug that so potently controlled and shook the very fortress of identity, might, by the least scruple of an overdose or at the least in opportunity in the moment of exhibition utterly blot out that immaterial tabernacle which I looked to it to change" (Stevenson 69). The potion turned Jekyll into Mr. Hyde and left him as an uncontrolled monster. Dr. Jekyll tries relentlessly to rid himself of his alter ego but in the end he had paid the price and was left with only one choice, death.

This theme also applies to many people living today. Thousands of people indulge in dangerous activities that they may see as pleasurable or helpful to their appearance. Plastic surgery, fake tanning, and types of injections can temporally enhance ones appearance but they can also have many dangerous effects. These can cause cancer and other health risks that can be fatal. The people who are using these methods are pursuing life at all costs and are risking their health in order to appear more appealing.

Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde interpreted by Luka S.

Dr. Jekyll’s obsession with creating the potion is pursued at all costs. He is so obsessed with exploring the dual nature of human beings, that he creates the potion at the cost of his own life. Dr. Jekyll goes out of his way to create his potion, and to create Mr. Hyde. The creation of Mr. Hyde ultimately destroyed Dr. Jekyll’s life because Mr. Hyde was a complete monster "He had now seen the full deformity of that creature that shared with him some of the phenomena of consciousness, and was co-heir with him to death: and beyond those links of community, which in themselves made the most poignant part of his distress, he thought of Hyde, for all his energy of life, as of something not only hellish but inorganic." (Stevenson 84). He went around killing important people and committing other atrocities, and Dr. Jekyll himself had no control over these actions. This shows how Dr. Jekyll pursued his goal at all costs, putting his life on the line. In the end, even without the potion, Dr. Jekyll was turning into Mr. Hyde involuntarily and eventually will become Hyde permanently.

In today’s society, athletes who take performance enhancing drugs, such as steroids, pursue life at all costs. Athletes who take steroids and other performance enhancing drugs don’t realize how much they are risking. One recent case was Brian Cushing. Cushing didn’t realize how much this could destroy his reputation. Not only does it destroy his reputation, it is also bad for your health. In the end, steroids are going to affect his body in a negative way, which is how he pursues his goals to be a superior football player at all costs.